There are few things as cool as being within petting distance of wild animals considered to be killers, with no protection at all.

Ever since my first dive after certification – an awesome first experience in Kona with 100′ visibility – where I reef sharks, I became very interested in swimming with sharks. I’m incredibly lucky to have had the opportunities to experience the best dives in the world thanks to Body Glove and PADI. Since that first sharky encounter, i’ve swam with whale sharks in Mexico (twice!), climbed out of the cage with great whites, dodged gray sharks in Tahiti, and sat in awe in Fiji at 90′ in the middle of a bull shark swarm, with a few nurse and lemon sharks thrown in on the side.

Sharks are essential to keeping the ocean eco-system in balance. Shark populations are dropping all over the world due to the extremely wasteful practice of shark fin fishing. I believe that sharks kill humans by accident, mistaking them for other prey. Where sharks are feared they aren’t being protected. I wonder if the world might be better off with more sharks and fewer people?

If you met a shark in a situation where you could really see each other you might agree.